We Are One Who Protects
by TheSamurai'sRose
Summary: He had just returned from being lost in the darkness since his King lost his powers. Waking to a scream from one of the two men you love isn't the best thing in the world, especially when he's having some doubts about whether a hollow can be loved or love in return.


He had been in the darkness for too long. Even a moment was too long. His eyes opened and he felt the water recede from his body.

He had been drowning. A hateful sensation. Drowned by his King who loved more than himself. But it was not the water receding from his body that woke him. He had felt himself begin to rise from the depths ages ago.

No, he was floating atop of the pool this new batch of rain was making. It was the scream. _Pitiful._

Zangetsu was broken. At least the last time he hadn't been around. They were one so the pain should extend to him. Yet it didn't.

"Oi! Zangetsu?" There was no answer. "Keh." He stood atop the water and shunpoed to Zangetsu's usual spot.

There the man lay, collapsed. His breathing was irregular, shallow, hard. Like he was fighting, gasping just to breath.

"Figures King just doesn't know when to quit. Oi, Zangetsu! I know you can hear me." He went down onto his knees, his face above the older looking male's.

"Obviously. You are far too irritatingly loud."

"Well now. Still 'ave the strength to verbally abuse me I see. What's with you getting all the pain."

"None…of your business, hollow."

"Ouch. I'm so hurt. You haven't called me that in a long time. You hiding' something…Zan?" It did hurt, a little. But playing it off with sarcasm was always the best route.

It seemed to him Zangetsu was holding on to all the pain when he himself should be getting half. They were one after all. He thought that they had begun to work together towards the end. Was it all a lie?

Irritionally he became angry at King. The bastard forgot about them all the time. He didn't know enough that was true. Not nearly enough though Zangetsu and him had hinted a couple times.

He didn't' see, didn't feel the true depth and that would cost him. Dearly. But he did unconsciously treat them the way he did himself which was saying something.

He was surrounded by a bunch of idiots.

"Come on Zan. Let it go. We can both take the pain." One bleary eye opened to glare at him. "Zan…you know yer sexy when you glare right?" Way to go random thoughts because that line was so going to get Zangetsu to do as he asked.

"Shut up Shiro." He blinked for a few moments before sighing startling his counterpart.

"You still 'aven't listened Zan. I'm not a baby. If you didn't possess the ability to give me some of it you would've said so at the beginning."

His white hand reached out and touched a stubbled cheek that cause Zangetsu to issue forth a whimper.

"Zan…_please_." The last word was so faint to be barely recognizable yet he knew the hollow's voice broke on the word. Zangetsu's eyes shot open till they consumed his face. He'd never heard something like that come from the hollow. Had never expected that despite how far their relationship might go he'd ever hear that word on his pale lips. He wondered if anything was wrong with him. Maybe he hadn't taken the pain completely into himself.

"No." The hollow's shoulders tensed. He looked down at his counterpart as if he had turned into a cheetah. It hurt to look into those golden irises. It was a small pain to the hollow compared to what he would experience if Zangetsu actually fell prey to the golden words.

"No?" He was expecting an answer and when he didn't get one he shook with anger as a wrack of pain coursed through Zangetsu and a moan escaped his mouth.

"Zan! Damn it! Yer as bad as King. Why won't you accept my help?"

Could he be the only one out of this triumvirate who thought they were one? It couldn't be. Not with the way things had gone just before King used Saigo no Getsuga Tensho.

Suddenly the anger fled from his body. He stood up and saw Zangetsu struggling to raise himself up onto one arm.

"Shiro?" It almost appeared as if the hollow was defeated. That…that was not a look he could stand on his hollow.

"Tch. What do I even care? I'm just some damn hollow who's stuck here until he takes the King's crown." He turned his back on Zangetsu and started to walk away.

Zangetsu panicked. "Shiro that's not what I meant at all. Just…"

"I'm done. You enjoy yer pain and I'll…I'll go plan King's downfall."

Pain brought him to his knees gasping and then arms were wrapping around his shoulders, a face buried itself into his neck taking a deep breath.

"I was trying to spare you the pain. I had no desire to know you were in pain especially not when you were out of my grasp for the first wave. I would not be able to stand it. "

"We are one. There is no need to keep anything from me. I am always in yer grasp."

The pain subsided and both looked slightly puzzled until an orange haired teenager plowed into them beaming yet nearly in tears. The rain stopped suddenly and the sun broke forth. But then the rain began again.

"King!"

"What? That's snow dumbass. Snow is good. Very good. I thought I had lost you two. But I have to correct you on one thing Shiro. We aren't one." He paused for a moment and saw fear on their faces.

"We are 'one who protects'." He pulled their heads together and kissed them soundly.


End file.
